"I am not in the mood of creating even more trouble with a duke when I am on my way to a mission. This would be the second one, and this here would very likely delay me for at least a day or two… why can't they just behave?

No wonder the elder brothers told me to check upon each noble I meet on the way. It seems there has long been no eunuch that went along this way and checked the nobles, this was enough time for them to cause problems."

Shixuan nodded and waited till they were somewhat away from where they were ambushed as he said, "I will take the rein to make sure no stray scout tries to invite us into the city." He left the carriage and made sure to properly close the door afterward.

Ji Li looked on a bit solemn as Lila asked him "Why do you not wish to visit them? They would be able to compensate you for their faults and it would be a good connection, no?"

Shaking his head, Ji Li replied "That's troublesome. What do you think will happen if I build a relationship with every higher noble I come across? I am planning to enter the political world, and owing favours or being too close to anyone is a bad sign, especially for me. I am going to follow the true purpose of eunuchs and stay neutral.

I know there are many that align themselves towards one side, but have you ever seen them in high positions? No, that doesn't happen. The eunuchs that do so accept the reality that they either won't advance anymore and become the connection between the nobles and the capital, which isn't bad at all, but the true eunuchs would stay clear of anything like that.

Even if I do so and still go to the duke, then I will have a relation with them that I know them and I might actually think positively of them. This isn't what I wish – no matter how cold I act; I am still human and will eventually build a connection to someone I interact with a lot.

So, if I happen to be a lot together with the duke, his family and enjoy his estate, what do you think will happen if some laws are passed down that are negatively influencing the dukedom? I would think that it's a pity since they are doing pretty well, and be somewhat biased, even if I don't know about it or don't even want it.

It's bound to happen for me, which is why I try to decide the factions I want this connection with. A mere dukedom having my support? I might as well directly restrict my future and give up any of my ambitions. Lila, I don't know what you want to become, but for me, I want to at least become an Imperial Eunuch, if not then the Grand Eunuch.

Actually, I would like to go even further than that, no, not become emperor if that is what you think. Do you know of the Spirit of the Emerald Tree? The core point of the whole empire, that something I want to be… or maybe even more than that? Who knows."

Lila was somewhat shocked for the big ambitions of Ji Li. 'It seems he's got larger goals than I thought… it might not be bad for me to stay with him. At least this way, I get to see the world a bit more. But he's very similar to mother, she also never wanted to be troubled with all those lower politics, saying it'd be too difficult to care for every single little fox. If she wanted, she could have become the clan head of the fox clan, obviously that wasn't in her interest.

…

The next two days flew by, they avoided the city and only took a short rest in a village to stock up on some food. The carriage wasn't too bad to sleep in, and the guards were Talent Refining cultivators anyways, they shouldn't complain about uncomfortable sleeping.

Entering the marquis' territory, they finally spend the fifth night there and left for the march on the sixth day. It was just midday when they arrived at the gates of the city. A larger one than those they saw previously, obviously nowhere near close to the capital, or even the Eunuch Palace Complex, but it was next to the southern sea, so they had a harbour.

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At the city gate, they saw a fee people that seemed to be expecting them, as they went forward the moment, they saw the carriage with the eunuch sign on it. Looking respectfully, they greeted the guards and Ji Li "Greetings esteemed eunuchs. We have been informed by the local branch that the mission was accepted and that the eunuchs would be expected to arrive in six days."

By now Shixuan was obviously already back in the carriage, so Ji Li told him simply "Tell them that we'll take a rest in the branch and meet the marquis and his family for dinner… no, actually, go with them and tell that to the marquis in private. Also tell him that we'll begin with the process of deciding on the successor the moment I am introduced to all possible heirs, and all of them should be present for dinner, no matter what they are doing."

Shixuan did as he was told as the carriage drove in and arrived at the branch, where he was greeted by the local branch leader that was of Palace Eunuch rank. Ji Li just told him that he'd perform the succession personally and that if they needed help, they'd ask for it.

He went to the local emerald tree, bowed to it as he said, "May the emerald tree shine forever" and then sat on a mat around it. This was the usual setting for the emerald trees, they acted as meditative scenery as it supported the cultivators around it. This was one of the reasons why eunuchs would advance just as well as soldiers that were always on the frontline.

Ji Li reported back about him reaching it and told them some details, as well as gave an official complaint about the issue with the dukedoms. He had done a short one previously, while this acted as an official complaint and would be forwarded to the administration for it.

Cultivating under the tree, Ji Li felt something deeper that he normally did. He explored the feeling, a rushed one that would move about irritated and without proper thinking. This was how he behaved the last few days – irritated and with no real control of his emotions, he wasn't truly calm nor patient and somehow caused more issues for himself with this attitude too.

But this feeling didn't come from him, no, it came from behind and all around him. He looked behind and obviously, that was where the emerald tree was. Then he looked all around, and he understood that wherever there was a greenery, he would feel this irritation.

He didn't understand it, but nature seemed to tell him that something was about to happen, it was like the drumming of earth that were warnings from hundreds of metres away where an animal on ground was stomping. Or the soundwaves that travelled for kilometres through air from each movement of flying animals.

Nature was telling him; something was going to happen. He wasn't sure what, nor when, but if he had to guess, then it was big, but also slow and would take time till it arrived. He understood this came from the blessing the emerald tree gave him, not only his Talent, as there were other eunuchs with Wood-Talents that would feel the same. Probably the higher-ups of the Eunuch Palace knew, which was why so many more missions were issued the past few weeks.

This irritation of earth spread to his behaviour, so Ji Li tried to meditate, blocking the influence of nature towards him while he went on and influenced it against the irritation, calming it down. It was somewhat effective on grass, yet the emerald tree was too strong on it's own, not to mention that it had a connection to the main emerald tree, which would protect it.

This feeling was somewhat stifling, Ji Li felt like it was his natural right to be the largest tree in the forest, standing and protecting all others. Yet now, here he was, being 'protected' and influenced by the larger tree, while he himself was barely a sapling.

Although he had always been diligently cultivating, he also spread his abilities somewhat. He wouldn't stop that now, nor did he regret doing so, but it was time to put in all his energy towards becoming stronger, not playing around politically with lower factions. He understood why he acted the way he did with the dukes – it felt like a waste of his time to talk with them, the profit he would get was too minimal in comparison to what he could do with the time wasted on them.

This mission with the marquis was also going to take a lot of time, but it would be a good lesson for himself. A lesson on how to quickly finish such missions while still doing them properly and not make mistakes because of rushing.

He would take more drastic measures, ones that would cause some unhappiness for the marquis, but that was fine. Since he was too incompetent to even decide on his heir, but at least knowledgeable enough to ask for him, unlike that stupid viscount, then he should learn at what cost asking help comes with, while thinking that it was still worth it.